”Norm Macdonald Has a Show” launching September 14, 2018 on Netflix

And it's on...

First guest, David Spade.

27 minutes in, I have yet to laugh.

 

Episode 2 - Drew Barrymore

I'm only a year older than Norm, so it's not that...I'm just not a fan. Watching out of curiosity.
I'm a George Carlin, Richard Pryor fan, so it's not that I'm humorless.

Spoiler

Okay, so the baby bird joke made me laugh

I'll watch the next 8 guests later today. Looking forward to Letterman for sure.

 

Never been a McDonald fan?

That’s relieving given your review.

Congrats on your Cash LP. Our tastes might not line up on humor but great taste in music.

 

Say no more.

j/k

And of course the "I'm Not Norm" YT channel has a compilation video. NSFW.

 

I watched Spade and Letterman so far. The Spade interview seemed a little awkward and not natural. Letterman was better, although seeing that beard close-up and in high definition was unsettling, perhaps even scary. Don't care much for the background visual. I think it's distracting. Otherwise everything's okay. Should get better as Norm finds his groove.

 

FYI to all, Norm will be on Conan O'Brien on September 25th.

 

I watched the Spade and Letterman episodes and both were okay but not really that good. I love Norm btw, so it's not that.

It just seems like they're doing more or less exactly the same thing as the podcast/youtube show...but not it's not as good somehow.

 

It's like 5:00 AM EST and I just finished watching the David Spade one. I actually chortled a half a dozen times I would say. Norm had a nice zinger or two.

If it's possible, it feels even more stripped down than the YouTube show.

This show is for the birds.

 

I thought the Spade show was good. The we-all-know-each-other ribbing comes off funnier IMO. I also watched the Drew Barrymore show, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as fluid as the Spade, which you really wouldn't call fluid either.

 

I don't like how while there is no audience per se, the crew sounds rather too amused in the background. I want to hear the silence of the awkward moments. But, having watched everything of the old show, I enjoy this one. It's much of the same but Mr. Macdonald is a good interviewer and manages to keep it fresh.

 

Spade's was the best thus far - I've watched him, Dave, and Chevy.

Chevy's was good too - shows that he can be likable.

This show is exactly what I want it to be, Norm acting silly and his friend's playing along.

I'll watch the non comedian ones last - I don't really care about those guests

 

Norm interviewing his enemies would be more interesting. I suppose they'd have to be tricked into having themselves booked, though.

 

Some guests I'd like to see Norm interview...

Elon Musk
Gallagher
Marc Maron
Conan
Kevin Spacy
Howard Stern
Roger Daltrey

 

Is the show live to air? If not, you'd think they'd record a few and then pick the best episode to schedule for the premiere of the series.

 

Well, I am five episodes in.

I can say that it sure seems different than his superb podcast. It's much shorter, more tame, less dark, more politically correct, has a fancy set and non-comedic guests.

Maybe the best way to compare the new show to his old one would be to compare the episodes of a guest who was on both shows, David Letterman. On the podcast, Dave was candid, sincere, more supportive towards Norm, even urging him to do something bigger. And now that Norm is doing something bigger, David seems embarrassed to be participating in the new show.

On the other hand, the episode with Jane Fonda was a delight. They had superb chemistry and she was an excellent guest.

So the new show has plenty of ups and downs (more downs, I am afraid to say.) Two things I found distracting. First is Norm's inability to make things run more smoothly. He acts like this is his first time ever running a show. The other thing is those odd "breaks" they keep taking. What is the purpose of them, where they seem to just keep talking over them and show the neon sign for about ten seconds? Do they think people will forget the name of the show?

 

He did interview Maron, for his podcast on youtube. Sadly, youtube has removed all the episodes, though.

 

I am only four episodes in (and I wish they had released them one at a time because does anyone when any new ones will be out and what am I supposed to do until then?).

I actually like the breaks and the seemingly loose structure of the show. I like hearing Norm shout out "And we're back!", interrupting the guest's answer. There's quite a bit of editing, compared to the old show, but it does a fine job of balancing between a proper show and listening in on a chat between friends. I like the preparedness and the unpreparedness of it all. Macdonald has a way of getting the answers nobody expected or asked for.

 

I just watched the Lorne Michaels episode. Unfortunately, Norm did not touch the subject of his firing from SNL in '98. I'm guessing not talking about this was a precondition of Michaels appearing on the show(?) Because at one point Norm asks "can we talk bout Three Amigos?"

 

Or because Lorne had already asked two, or three times were they going to remain in the past ? 60s, 70s, 80s.

 

Watched them all. Terrific. Judge Judy was time capsule material.

 

I would love that, to have Norm "interviewing" Conan for a change. I'm sure it would devolve into 5 minute stemwinder jokes from Norm though.

 

Really enjoying the show, CC and Jane Fonda episodes were my faves, love the Wayne and Shuster sign off song!

 

Just watching old Norm clips on the YouTubes...

Imagine a world where Norm hosts The Late Late Show instead of James Corden?



Nah, it'd never work.

 

I'm enjoying it. The David Spade episode felt like the tester, but now there's a flow to it.

He made out with Jane Fonda. What's not to like?

 

I've only watched 2 episodes so far... Jane Fonda and Chevy Chase... both were great!